Good Fish Guide

Your guide to sustainable seafood

You can play a key role in securing the future of our seas and marine wildlife by making more environmentally responsible choices when buying seafood.

Our seas face a wide range of threats. Climate change, pollution, habitat and biodiversity loss are all impacting our seas; plus 90% of global fish stocks are either fully or over-exploited. All these factors combined mean that urgent action is needed to restore the health of our seas. Fish farming (aquaculture) is rapidly expanding to meet increasing demand for seafood, but if this is done badly it can also damage the environment and exacerbate these other problems.

Use the Good Fish Guide to find out which fish are the most sustainable (Green rated), and which are the least sustainable (Red rated). Make the right choice and reduce your impact – every purchase matters! Find out more about our seafood work, including how we develop our seafood ratings, plus sustainable seafood recipes and more.

Herring or sild

Clupea harengus

The largest single fishery is for Atlantic herring which is fished throughout much of the north Atlantic. Herring is a resilient species and is caught using fishing methods that are relatively selective or 'clean' in terms of bycatch and
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non-damaging to the seabed. This generally makes the fish a good sustainable choice. The best choices for herring are fish from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries in the North and Irish Seas and English Channel.

John Dory

Zeus faber

A white, boneless, meaty flesh that's firm, flavoursome and versatile. You can poach it, grill or saute it; and chefs love a John Dory because it's delicate, mild sweet flavour goes well with loads of ingredients - the bones from the head
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are great for making fish stock. Like turbot and sole?

There have been little market fluctuations for the species, principally because it is retained as a bycatch species rather than a target species. On the market, John dory can be found fresh and frozen, whole or filleted.

More management is required to protect John Dory. Avoid eating them as there is insufficient management to protect the species.

Lobster, Norway, Langoustine, Dublin Bay prawn or scampi

Nephrops norvegicus

Choose nephrops caught using creels as creels are a more environmentally-friendly fishing method and produce a higher quality product. Nephrops are usually caught using trawls, which associated with large quantities of bycatch and discards
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of a variety of species.

Mullet, Red, Striped red mullet

Mullus surmuletus

There is no assessment or management of red mullet stocks. This is a cause for concern as the species is taken in both targeted fisheries and as bycatch. Two management units are indentified in European waters - a Western and a Northern
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unit. A minimum landing size of 15 cm is enforced in the jurisdiction of the Cornish Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority. Although this is just below 16 cm, the size at which they mature (in the English Channel), this is the only management measure for this species, so fish from this area is the best choice currently available. Avoid eating immature fish (less than 16 cm) and fresh (not previously frozen) fish caught during the summer spawning season (May-July).

Method of production — Caught at seaCapture method — Demersal otter trawlCapture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)Stock area — North Sea, Eastern English Channel and Skagerrak and Kattegat (Northern Area)Stock detail —

Method of production — Caught at seaCapture method — Gill or fixed netCapture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)Stock area — North Sea, Eastern English Channel and Skagerrak and Kattegat (Northern Area)Stock detail —

Method of production — Caught at seaCapture method — Danish seineCapture area — North East Atlantic (FAO 27)Stock area — North Sea, Eastern English Channel and Skagerrak and Kattegat (Northern Area)Stock detail —

Nursehound, Bull Huss, Greater Spotted Dogfish

Scyliorhinus stellaris

Sharks and rays are found in all the worlds oceans, from the poles to the tropics to shallow water coral reefs to water over 3,000m deep. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) is unusual as it is able to enter fresh water river systems
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where it gives birth. Sharks, skates and rays are fish, but they can be distinguished from bony fish (teleosts) by their cartilaginous skeletons. There are four main types of cartilaginous fish; sharks, skates and rays, collectively called elasmobranchs, and the rarely encountered chimaeras, a more distant relative only found in deep water. They are also distinguished from bony fish by the way they breed. Reproduction in sharks and rays is a very slow process as they have a late age of sexual maturity, produce few young and have a long gestation period. No maternal care is provided to shark pups, instead they are well-developed and ready to hunt when born in order to maximise their chance of survival. All shark eggs are fertilised internally but may develop in one of three different ways: Eggs are held within a leathery case (Oviparity), known as a mermaids purse, e.g. catshark; Embryos develop within the mother and are nourished by the egg (Ovoviparity) e.g. basking shark; Embryos develop within the mother and are provided with nutrients from a placenta (Viviparity) e.g. smoothhound. World-wide sharks are being removed from our seas at an alarming rate. Sharks are slow growing, long-lived with low reproduction. Finning is perhaps the most damaging and distasteful of all shark fisheries. The process is cruel and wasteful, involving the removal and retention of fins, while the rest of the shark, is discarded, often still alive, to drown or be eaten. Finning takes place all over the world (including Europe) to feed the continual and increasing demand for sharkfin soup. Fins are consumed principally in the Far East but Europe and the USA are sizeable markets for shark fin. Fins may fetch over 30 per kilo and a single basking shark tail fin can fetch up to 5,250 in Hong Kong. Blue sharks and other oceanic species are the preferred species taken.

In general, consumers should avoid eating nursehound (and all shark species) as they are insufficiently managed, fisheries are data-deficient and the species inherently vulnerable to overexploitation due to their specific biological characteristics (slow-growing, late to mature and producing few young). Nursehound from the Celtic Sea is the better choice as localised populations appear to be stable, or recently decreasing. However, there are insufficient data to fully evaluate stock status.

Oyster, Native, oysters (Caught at sea)

Ostrea edulis

Throughout European waters,including much of Britain, the native oyster is depleted in the wild. Areas once noted for their large natural beds are now being used for oyster farming or cultivation including non-native species, such as the
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Pacific oyster, which are currently more widely cultivated than the native oyster. Oyster beds are generally privately owned and managed. Shellfish farming is an extensive, low-impact method of mariculture and high quality water standards are required for cultivation of shellfish for human consumption. Dredging can cause disruption to the seabed and has a higher associated bycatch than manual harvesting techniques, but are less suited to deeper water for practical reasons. Some growers may hand-gather their stock by diving or by net to enhance quality. Wild stocks are depleted and although management of the fisheries is good, the native oyster is still vulnerable to exploitation. Choose cultivated oysters from environmentally responsible farms where possible.

Parrotfish, Uhu

Scarus spp.

Parrotfish are moderately resilient to fishing but there is very little data available on their abundance or exploitation rates. And little or no management of the species. Despite the prevalence of marine reserves, the effectiveness of
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these conservation efforts, is rarely measured, and enforcement is often weak or absent in many parts of the world. Urgent protection and effective protective legislation is needed as well as continued monitoring of harvest levels and population status, especially for those species already at increased risk of extinction. Unless there is information available to demonstrate their source is sustainable this species is best avoided.

Plaice

Pleuronectes platessa

Plaice is a popular consumption and long-lived species which is subject to high fishing pressure. The state of plaice stocks around the UK vary. Currently the best choices for plaice are fish caught in the North Sea or Western Channel
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where the stocks are assessed as healthy and fishing is at a sustainable level. However, as with all plaice fisheries, there is significant discarding of plaice and other species. To increase the sustainability of the plaice you eat ask for and only eat plaice taken in trawls using measures to improve the selectivity of the net to reduce discarding and fitted with Benthic Release Panels to reduce impact on bottom dwelling species. Avoid eating immature plaice, fish below 30 cm, and during their breeding season January to March, also plaice caught in electric-pulse trawl fisheries. Alternatives to plaice are Lemon sole, dab, flounder and megrim.

Pollock, Alaska, Walleye

Theragra chalcogramma

If you like cod or haddock, you'll like Alaska pollock. It's a white fish, mild in flavour and low in fat. Makes great fishcakes, is best steamed and is the fish used in McDonald's Filet-O-Fish! A member of the cod family, it's found
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throughout the North Pacific. Matures at around 3 years old and lives on average until 15. Can grow to about 90 cms and is called walleye pollock because of its large distinctive eyes!

Pollock in US fisheries are generally at healthy levels. They are managed through a suite of management measures and bycatch in the fishery is generally small. Choose Marine Stewardship Council certified pollock as they tend to employ improved monitoring in these fisheries.

Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns

Litopenaeus vannamei

Only buy king prawns from suppliers that can ensure their product is sourced from farms that comply with environmental standards for habitat protection and impacts of production. Organic farming standards ensures many such standards are
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met making organic farmed tiger prawns the best choice. Requirements for organic farms include utilisation of byproducts from human consumption fisheries for feed; habitat protection and restoration, limitation on chemical usage, limited stocking densities and strict health and feeding guidelines. Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Aquaculture Practice (GAA BAP 2*, 3*, 4*)and GlobalGap certification ensures some of these standards are met. Look for the organic label on products or ask your supermarket if they have a buying policy for tiger prawns to ensure high production standards are in place, and environmental concerns addressed.

Prawn, Northern, prawns

Pandalus borealis

Northern prawn or shrimp (the names are often used interchangeably) are cold-water crustaceans, distinct from warm water species found in tropical waters. Increase the sustainability of the fish you eat by choosing only prawns taken in
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fisheries using sorting grids to reduce bycatch of non-target species. The Norwegian NE Arctic cold water prawn fishery is certified as a responsibly managed fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Several Canadian northern prawn fisheries are also certified to the MSC standard. Look out for the Blue tick logo on the packaging.

Ray, Blonde

Raja brachyura

Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
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Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.

In general, skates and rays are vulnerable to overfishing because they grow really slowly, mature late in life and produce few young. We don't know if their populations are healthy most of the time because, until recently, catches haven't been recorded very well. When choosing skate or ray, choose a fast-growing species like Spotted ray because their populations are at a healthier level. Avoid eating skates and rays below the size at which they can reproduce (57cm in length for Spotted Ray). If buying Spotted Ray, choose it from boats belonging to the North Devon Fishermen's Association (NDFA) because they employ better management to protect skates and rays.

Ray, Cuckoo

Leucoraja naevus

Skate and ray species are all generally sold as 'skate', but all true Skate should be completely avoided. Whole ray are available as fresh or frozen wings and knobs (cheeks).The term 'Skates and Rays' can be a bit confusing here in
…Read more
Britain. What are traditionally known in Britain as 'rays' are, scientifically or biologically speaking, 'skates'. While the rays (which are technically skates!) sold in fishmongers throughout Britain - Spotted, Small-eyed, Cuckoo, Blonde etc. - belong to the family Rajidae, not all rays found in British waters belong to this family. Two species of Torpedo Rays (Torpedinidae); 2 species of Whiptail Stingrays (Dasyatidae); the Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatidae) ; and Giant Devil Ray (Mobulidae) are also either resident or visitors to our waters! Skates and rays generally available for consumption however do belong to the same sub-order "batoidea" and are large flat fish, dwelling close to the sea floor. Like sharks they have cartilage skeletons instead of bone. Skates tend to be large with long snouts, while rays are smaller species and have short snouts. They are both slow to grow and breed. Many are uncommon or rare. For more information on skates, rays and sharks go to: http://www.sharktrust.org.

In general, skates and rays are vulnerable to overfishing because they grow really slowly, mature late in life and produce few young. We don't know if their populations are healthy most of the time because, until recently, catches haven't been recorded very well. When choosing skate or ray, choose a fast-growing species like Spotted ray because their populations are at a healthier level. Avoid eating skates and rays below the size at which they can reproduce (57cm in length for Spotted Ray). If buying Spotted Ray, choose it from boats belonging to the North Devon Fishermen's Association (NDFA) because they employ better management to protect skates and rays.

What’s a sustainability range?

Many of the fish listed are caught in different ways and from
different areas of the sea. Some species are caught in a variety
of ways and this range shows that, within a species, some may be
fished sustainably whilst others unsustainably.

To find out the individual ratings for each fish click on the
ratings button next to the image.

Fish that are being assessed are shown with a question mark icon and "No Rating".

This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.

To be assessed

Seafood sources indicated as, 'To be assessed', are those that have not yet been assessed and assigned a rating or are undergoing a period
of review. These include sources previously rated by MCS for which the rating has lapsed, due to changes in the market or MCS priorities and
resources. Given that these sources are not fully assessed, the profile should not be used to infer the current sustainability of the
fishery or farmed species.

If you are interested in the sustainability of this seafood source, please let us know by emailing
ratings@mcsuk.org

Rating 1

Rating 1 (light green) is associated with the most
sustainably produced seafood.

This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.

Rating 3

Rating 3 (yellow) based on available information; these
species should probably not be considered sustainable at
this time. Areas requiring improvement in the current
production may be significant. Eat only occasionally and
check www.goodfishguide.org for specific details.

This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.

Rating 4

Rating 4 (orange) should not be considered sustainable, and
the fish is likely to have significant environmental issues
associated with its production. While it may be from a
deteriorating fishery, it may be one which has improved from
a 5 rating, and positive steps are being taken. However, MCS
would not usually recommend choosing this fish.

This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation
Society to help consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.

Red Improver

'Red improver' ratings are assigned to seafood sources which have been assessed and rated 5 (red) due to significant environmental concerns
with one or more aspects of their management, capture or production, yet credible efforts to improve these issues have been agreed through a
Fisheries or Aquaculture Improvement Project – a FIP or an AIP - and work is underway. Such projects are normally publicly listed at
www.fisheryprogress.org. MCS wants to encourage environmental improvements in fisheries and fish farms, and so does not recommend avoiding
these sources, as we normally do for seafood rated 5 (red rated).

'Best choice' fish are rated 1 and 2, Fish to Avoid are rated 5.

This system has been developed by the Marine Conservation Society to help businesses and consumers choose the most environmentally
sustainable fish.

Rating 5

Rating 5 (red) is associated with fish to be avoided on the
basis that all or most of the criteria for sustainablilty
have not been met.